WOKC Local News – April 03, 2026, 7:41 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. Child dies in shooting case with WOKC News. I’m Charles Murphy. Oogachoo Police with the somber news that a four-year-old boy passed away Wednesday night. He had shot himself on Tuesday at a residence in the southeast section of the city. The investigation is ongoing. The county is wanting to add six pickleball courts at the sports complex. Assistant County Administrator Denise Whitehead says she thinks it’ll meet a demand from the public, but also attract tournaments and perhaps help our economy. A local business owned by Oscar Calzada and his son Miguel donated a new roof over the Kiwanis Park Pavilion. Miguel says Okeechobee is a community that works together. There’s a lot of construction and movement going around, which I think is amazing. You know, there’s bringing more job opportunities to Okeechobee County, but I think it’s also important that we get down to the roots of it and that’s taking care of us, taking care of this town by lending a hand. They provided the materials and labor for the project. Pahokee is wondering whether they should go to court and sue former employees implicated in their financial woes. They’ve lost between two and $5 million, according to auditors. The attorney says there’s no cause of action. The statute of limitations has run out too. Former manager Chandler Williamson did repay the city for some questionable expenses he made. Mayor Keith Babb says he’s not in favor of a lawsuit. You can find a lawyer willing to say, I’ll sue anybody you want me to sue, you’re paying for it. And we could be counter-sued on top of that if we not successful. Resident Demarcus Porter says there’s too much money lost to be ignored. $5 million come missing, that’s stealing. That ain’t mismanagement, that ain’t no mistake. Like how do you mismanage $5 million and then say, there ain’t nothing we can do about it. St. Lucie County had two commissioners chiding each other at a recent public meeting. Kathy Townsend says she didn’t appreciate the chairman Jamie Fowler’s comment about following rules of procedure. Fowler says she didn’t care for Townsend complaining about the success at the county airport. I never said Commissioner Townsend said, but since you want to go there, Commissioner Townsend, because I do have a copy of the informal where as a chair of the Tourist Development Council, you decided to blame the four of us for the airport not having commercial service. So please, don’t sit up here and try to turn the table. 16 arrests in Osceola County of alleged predators trying to have sex with children. Sheriff Chris Blackman says there’s strong evidence these men are guilty. The suspects came from various backgrounds, proving that this evil can hide anywhere. Each faces serious felony charges, including attempted sexual battery on a minor and solicitation with a minor, which means they could face decades in prison and lifelong sex offenders registrations. They’re charged with traveling to meet or lure a child for unlawful sexual acts and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony. The charges also include attempted lewd and lascivious battery on a child under 16. Martin County Sheriff deputies recover a stolen box truck out of Texas. They pull it over on Southwest Allapattah Road near the Indianwood Golf Club. Quentin Penix of Atlanta, Georgia is facing felony grand theft motor vehicle, the vehicle worth under 100,000, but over 20 grand. I’m Terrell Smurphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).